


The Untold Story of Rhodonite

by airamcg



Series: 100-Word Drabbles [9]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: 100-word Drabbles, 5+1 Things, Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/F, First Meetings, Gen, Other, SPOILERS FOR WANTED ARC, SPOILERS for Lars' Head, SPOILERS for Off Colors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-06 12:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11036634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/airamcg/pseuds/airamcg
Summary: ...or "5 Times Ruby and Pearl Met in Homeworld, and One Time They Didn't"





	1. Pearl Meets Ruby

Even in the busiest, most crowded streets, her lowly self always walks three measured steps behind her Morganite, deftly keeping up while avoiding brushing against her betters.

A squad of quartzes passes by. Off to the side, a ruby gets caught in the march, gets trampled until her small form dissipates.

Her lowly self… She…  _ Pearl  _ pauses.

Everyone else keeps walking, not even sparing a glance at what’s just happened.

Pearl ducks through the quartz squad, disrupting their march’s cadence. She quickly grabs the Ruby’s gemstone before it gets stepped on.

She stores it in her gem, hastening after Morganite.

 

 

 


	2. Ruby Meets Pearl

“Atten- _TION!”_

The platoon of rubies scrambles to fall in line, readying their salutes. Morganite importantly strides into their quarters, her pearl trailing behind her.

She stops in front of one ruby.

“Is this the best one?” Morganite scrutinizes her from head to toe, sneering, “You rubies all look the same.”

Ruby, however, is staring past Morganite.

The pearl is avoiding eye contact as a pearl's supposed to, and yet Ruby wants nothing more than for their gazes to meet.

Just like that time, once before.

Squeezed in a hidden nook in Morganite’s quarters.

When Ruby reformed in Pearl’s arms.

 

 

 


	3. Pearl Meets Ruby (Again)

Pearl hates parties. They’re just excuses for Morganite to show off her newest trinkets— a new alien pet, a new music box, a new pearl...

At least Pearl hasn’t been decommissioned... yet.

She’s been ordered to stand just outside the party hall, beside the new ruby guard.

“Boring party, huh?”

It takes Pearl a moment to realize Ruby was talking to _her._

“Yeah,” Pearl answers.

“Are they all like this?”

“Pretty much.”

“That sucks, but at least you’re here.” Then, Ruby smiles. “Thanks, by the way.”

“W-What?” Nobody’s ever thanked Pearl for anything before.

“Thank you for saving me, Pearl.”

 

 

 


	4. Ruby Meets Pearl (Again)

Ruby hates guard duty. It’s just standing around doing nothing for cycles on end, and That’s. So. _Boring._

She misses other rubies— resting in cubbies, being in a squad, going on missions together…

She doesn’t miss the battlefield, though.

…Maybe guard duty isn’t so bad.

She may not have other rubies, but she does have… _someone._

Ruby hears something from a few storeys up. Curious, she leaves her post and climbs the wall.

By the window, Pearl is singing.

Eyes meet.

They both stop and stare.

“Sorry. Did I disturb you?” Ruby asks.

“No.” Pearl smiles. “I’m glad you’re here.”

 

 

 


	5. Pearl Misses Ruby

Every chance she gets, Pearl sneaks off to one of the few windows in Morganite’s residence. There, she sings her heart out. Her song isn’t very good, in her opinion, but then no one would be listening to her anyway.

Ruby’s gone. Reassigned, they say.

Somewhere off-planet, Pearl hears. She doesn’t know exactly where; Ruby could’ve been sent to the farthermost reaches of the Gem Empire, for all she knows.

And so, Pearl sings.

Softly.

Loudly.

Passionately.

Sorrowfully.

Hopefully.

Praying for Ruby’s safe return.

Even if Pearl’s voice will not reach her in the stars, it was something to do.

 

 

 


	6. Ruby Misses Pearl

The first chance she gets, Ruby sneaks off to Morganite’s residence. She expertly scales the wall, using power cables as footholds.

Pearl is singing by the window, just like all the times before.

“You heard I was back?” Ruby asks.

“No.”

“But you’re here.”

“I’ve always waited for you here.”

“All this time?”

“All this time.

They reach across the gap between them, fingers interlacing like it was the most natural thing to do.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

A pull, a tug, an embrace, and…

They aren’t sure what happened next.

Everything is awash in bright light.

 

 

 


	7. BONUS: Rhodonite Meets Garnet

She’s heard all about it from Lars and Steven, of course. But hearing about something and actually experiencing them are two very different things— the sunlight on her face, the wind in her hair, the sound of ocean waves…

This must be what freedom feels like.

“You must be Rhodonite.”

Rhodonite whirls around to face the one who spoke.

It’s a Gem—a _Fusion._ Square hair, visor-covered eyes, gems on her palms…

“OH MY STARS! YOU’RE GARNET!” Rhodonite happily shrieks. “You’re like _me!_ ”

“Welcome to Earth.” Garnet smiles warmly. “I think you and I have a _lot_ to talk about…”

 

 

 


End file.
